The present invention generally relates to protective covers for preventing the unauthorized access to the apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to covers which are lockably engageable to the apparatus, and accessible only to persons with appropriate keys.
The problem of preventing the unauthorized access to utility services, such as thermostats and electrical outlets, remains essentially unsolved. This is especially true as many needs require a highly secure, but portable or removable cover. The problem is further compounded with the prevalent use of standard wall-mounted telephone jacks, and the now-standard plugin telephone. While the plugability of various types of telephone sets into a wall socket provides a high degree of convenience and flexibility, this advantage is correspondingly offset by the ease with which an unauthorized person can plug his personal telephone into another's outlet and make costly long distance telephone calls. This problem is increasing, and is especially prevalent in school dormitories or office building atmospheres where large numbers of persons have ready access to plugable telephone sockets.
Other areas which share a problem of a slightly different nature include the standard wall electrical outlet where it is desired to prevent children from sticking metallic objects into the outlet. The solution posed to this problem has been to insert plastic plugs into the electrical outlet to prevent the insertion therein of foreign objects. However, children quickly learn to remove the plugs, with the resultant exposure to the electrical hazard.
There is therefore a need for a protective cover which is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and which provides a high degree of security to the apparatus covered. In addition, there is a concomitant need to provide a security cover which is completely removable from the apparatus and which can be used with other similar apparatus as the need arises.
These problems have been addressed and the solution thereto may be found in the following description according to the principles of the present invention. Accordingly, the security cover of the invention includes a durable metallic cover which closely conforms to the outer dimensions of the apparatus to be covered. A fastening screw which typically fixes the protectable apparatus to the wall is removed, and a special double headed screw is used in place thereof. The outer shoulder or head of the screw, along with its connecting shank extend outwardly from the apparatus and is used as an anchor for lockable attachment thereto of the security cover locking means. The security cover includes a key cylinder lock mounted therein, and a slotted finger attached to the rotatable lock cylinder. In this manner, when the key is inserted into the lock and rotated, the slot in the finger engages with the shank of the special double-headed anchor screw and thereby lockably fixes the security cover over the apparatus.
In one embodiment of the invention the protective cover includes a pair of inwardly directed tangs on the peripheral edge thereof to provide an additional measure of security by preventing the protective cover from being pryed away from the protectable apparatus.
In another embodiment of the invention, rather than providing the tangs, and particularly for use with apparatus which is mounted to a surface with plural fasteners, the other fastener is replaced with a special double-headed anchor screw. An inwardly turned notched edge of the protective cover engages with the double-headed screw and thereby provides an additional measure of security.